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I woke early This Christmas/Yule morning eager to write. I kissed my husband, Jon, awake and then let him curl back under the covers and sleep. Trinity had spent Christmas Eve with her father, so she wasn’t due to be dropped off until around noon. My sister, Chica, and her partner were still asleep in her room. Even the dogs had decided to sleep in, Mordor rolling an eye at me, and going back to sleep, which lets you know how early it was, truly a moment when nothing was stirring, not even a mouse, well, and a writer.

I did what I do every morning and entered sacred space with candles to mark the quarters, the directions of North, East, South, and West. I also light a candle for Spirit, which not everyone does, but the candles for God and Goddess are always lit. I gave thanks for this beautiful morning and time to myself to think, reflect, and create.

I worked on Affliction which is the next Anita Blake novel, but first I worked on a brand new story idea. I’d written down a few sentences of it days ago when the idea first waved it’s hands at me, so to speak. To my surprise it was the first thing that came to me this morning. I guess, it shouldn’t surprise me too much since it is a Christmas story. I believe it’s my first ever Christmas/Yule story, and if things continue a pace the story is shaping up to be safe for all ages. So many of you have asked for more stories of mine that can be safely shared with younger readers that apparently my subconscious has been working on it. We’ll see if I can actual behave myself for pages, though honestly the beginnings of stories are fragile things and just because you start a story is no guarantee that you will finish it. I think every writer has more beginnings than complete works, it’s the nature of ideas to come on strong, but not necessarily have staying power. This one feels promising, because the idea is fresh and exciting having just come to life this morning. (I don’t count a few lines of an idea, they can wait a decade to become a story, or never be more than an idea.)

After I’d written as far I could see in the new story I wrote on Affliction. I had to drop back and add a bridge chapter which is exactly what it sounds like it is, a chapter that bridges from the action at the end of one chapter and the action at the beginning of another. Sometimes in my eagerness to get to a scene I get ahead of explanation needed, or even character introductions so that you get people talking that are brand new with no background at all, or characters that new readers wouldn’t know just dropped in, so you have to back up and explain a little. The two brand new characters that I’d introduced have been in my mind so long that I just forgot that they’ve never actually made it on stage before. I’ve had that happen a time, or two, usually with minor characters, or minor major characters, that I keep putting in the series and they keep getting cut before the book goes to publication. We’ll see if the characters make it to the final round this book.

Breakfast pancakes, bacon, and cinnamon rolls thanks to Chica and her partner. Trinity had joined us by then with her present booty from her father’s side of things. Jon had found one more present for her, “A Muppet Christmas Carol,” her favorite holiday movie which somehow we had on video, but not on DVD, since we no longer have a VCR that was a problem. Jon braved the mall yesterday so we could watch her favorite movie together this morning. We’ve already watched two of our favorite movies leading up to Christmas; Red, and Die Hard. Ho, ho, ho, now I have a machine gun! *laughs*

Chica and her partner are about to be out for family obligations, but Trinity, Jon, and I are getting to do what we most want today.Trinity has chosen to play her new SIMS game on computer. Jon wants to read and play video games. We’re taking turns choosing favorite holiday music to be our background noise. Currently listening to Excelsis – A Dark Noel a wonderful Goth Christmas album. It’s the first album Jon recommended to me that I went out and purchased. 🙂 This was my pick. We started with the Clancy Brothers Christmas Album which is one of Jon’s other favorites. He’s always had one of the most eclectic music tastes of anyone I’ve ever met.

Oh, I almost forgot my choice for the day is to write and read. I admit that I may overindulge on sweets for a change. I also reserve the right to do treadmill depending on how the writing goes, if the muse and I are making pages I’ll likely just write.

Once Chica and her partner return we may go back to choosing another favorite Christmas movie to watch, but welcome to the holiday as celebrated by a happy bunch of introverts. I hope you are able to do what you most want to do this day. Bright blessings between my family and yours and a very Happy Yule and a very Merry Christmas to all!